Ghost Wave: The Discovery of Cortes Bank and the Biggest Wave on Earth Hardcover – October 12, 2011

I just finished reading Ghost wave and I must tell you that I am disappointed……..that it’s FINISHED. What the hell am I to do now? I certainly don’t expect a Ghost Wave 2 in 3D. I was absolutely riveted and this is the only time I was content when the doctor or dentist was late for my appointment. I carried that book everywhere and in the mornings often almost spooned mouthfuls of cereal into my ear. I shed tears in front of my family when I read out loud of Pete Davi’s tragic and last paddled into shore. We cracked up from the ranting of Long and Twiggs as they bobbed among 60 to 70 ft ft waves, “I say this is my ski and you can get #$%#@”.I paused literally spooked to turn the page as you gave a spectacular account of the January 4th Cortez session. My eyes were wide open from Captain Mac Rae's maritime journeys to page 242. You brought me close to the awesomeness Mr. Dixon. The Awesomeness of nature’s deep power and the power of ‘men”. I won’t say you should be proud because I know you are. …and you should be. THANK YOU CHRIS DIXON for the wonderful work of creative insight. PS. If you ever write about K2 or Everest or anything else that is watery I WILL READ IT.

History, Science, Psychology, and Sport; Chris Dixon's obsession to document the story of the world's biggest waves and the men compelled to surf them is clearly detailed on every remarkable page of this well researched book. One of the things this author does better than most is to explore the reasons why these athletes are driven to chase what most of us would consider to be completely incomprehensible risk. Dixon's obvious access and established trust with these modern day Ahab's helps reveal the complexity of their motivations that cannot easily be dismissed as simply adrenaline fueled insanity. Chris gets beyond the superficial bravado typically expressed by extreme athletes and shares the genuine fear and concerns created by their passion.

All my life I've been a student of surf culture and related topics. I've picked up every book I could find on the topic and made a few piss poor attempts at mastering the longboard, (Think bear on a bike in the circus) needless to say, there's a reason why I'm landlocked in West Virginia. Big Wave surfing has always been a interest of mine and up until a few years ago, printed subject matter was a bit hard to come by. Ghost Wave by Chris Dixon is without a doubt, the best big wave book I've read yet. It captured me on three levels, surfing, the science of rogue waves and it was character written so well, I felt as though I was there with everyone mentioned in the book.Ghost Wave would make an incredible documentary film or even an action film based on these events. This book will stay in your personal library. You will want to re-read it over and over. You may, as I did, research the events and people in the book to entertain and educate yourself on the topic of Big Waves. I look forward to Chris Dixon's next book whatever it maybe, I'll buy it. The guy can write!I hope you enjoy Ghost Wave as much as I have. Money well spent and reading time enriched.Beau SmithThe Flying Fist Ranch

I love a good surf read, but have discovered it to be a narrow genre. Didn't take reading too many books to realize that there are a small number of legendary accounts that get retold in several books (Mark Foo drowning at Mavs, Laird & Brett Lickle's disaster in Maui, etc). Most of these get re-told here. If you've never read them before, they're fun, but otherwise it feels a bit like filler.The highlight is a focus on Cortes Bank and there are some pretty mindblowing descriptions of a pretty amazing place. Makes me want to go out and take a look, though I have no desire to be anywhere near a surfboard when I do. There's a neat recounting of seafaring history and some of the disasters and near-misses out at Bishop Rock, though the imagined expedition of coastal indians going to visit it seems a bit of a stretch.Read it and enjoyed it. Not one that I would avidly recommend unless you're a die-hard surfer.

Oh to be young again, and go on a surf expedition.Surfing has come a long way from a naked guy on a wooden plank. The simple pleasure of surfing has evolved into a production involving boats, satellites, jet skis, computers and high tech life jackets. Dixon takes us on that trip with him searching for bigger thrills and rides and recognition. At the same time, it seems Dixon appreciates the simple experience of enjoying an uncomplicated ocean ride.The book documents our search for the better, bigger, faster, stronger, but does not question why some of us are driven to need the biggest, why others can enjoy an evening glass off and obsess, or not, about other things.I enjoyed the book and hope you will too.

The book gives a history of the discovery and surfing of the giant waves on Cortes Bank which is 100-miles out in the ocean off San Diego. Cortes Bank rises suddenly from the deep ocean to within 30-feet of the surface. When big wind waves sweep in from the North Pacific, waves with 20 to 30-second periods and heights of 25 feet or more in the open ocean, the observed breaking waves have been 100-feet high or greater. Surfers have been able to ride 50 to 80 foot waves with the help of being towed in by jet skis. As the wave period gets longer, the waves move faster, up to 60 miles per hour.The book also covers other big wave spots such as Jaws in Hawaii and Mavericks in Northern California, and gives a lot of surfing history. It is well written and keeps the reader on the edge of his/her chair.